Mass shooting threat: Mbu is lawless, barbaric, says APC

The Police authorities yesterday sought to douse the tension sparked by Assistant Inspector General Joseph Mbu that the police would kill 20 people for every one of their own lost during the forthcoming elections.

Mbu, who oversees Zone 2 comprising the Lagos and Ogun Commands, had declared in Abeokuta on Thursday that : “If one of my men is killed, I shall kill 20 of them but don’t shoot first. If they shoot you, shoot back in self-defence. Anybody who fires you, fire him back in self-defence.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) called Mbu’s statement barbaric and said his actions since he was posted to Lagos “have neither dignified the police as an institution nor portrayed him as a well-trained law enforcement agent.”

However, Inspector-General of Police Suleiman Abba yesterday pledged the commitment of the police to the rule of law and the respect of the fundamental rights of citizens and residents alike by all Police officers.

Although he admitted that there are circumstances under which an officer may be provoked in the course of duty, he reminded the rank and file that the Police Regulations require of every one of them to exercise “tact, patience and tolerance and the control of his temper in trying situations.”

The IGP reassured the public that the Police have a mandate to save and protect lives, and not to kill, contrary to recent statements in the media, a veiled reference to Mbu’s statement.

Abba cautioned officers to avoid excesses, pointing out the dire consequences attendant on abuse of human rights, all of which are contained in the recently released Human Rights Practice Manual.

The Force Public Relations Officer at the Police Headquarters, Acting Police Commissioner Emmanuel Ojukwu, said the IGP, addressing senior officers and stakeholders in his office, advised all policemen of the imperative necessity to apply caution in the use of firearms, warning that except in extreme circumstances, arms shall not be used during the forthcoming elections. He observed that the rule of law is the underpinning tenet of democracy, which will guide Police officers in the discharge of their roles in the forthcoming national elections.

The Police, according to him, are prepared to provide the requisite security before, during and after the elections.

Mbu had also at the Abeokuta meeting with his men declared that they had the authority to arrest, before, during and after elections.

He said it was not compulsory for them to even greet a governor who comes to vote.

He went further: “You have the power to stop the governor. We are in a critical period. We are not para-military. We must be bold and brave. Keep an eagle eye on everybody. We are authorised by the constitution to arrest before, during and after election. Our role is to ensure free, fair and violence free elections.”

The APC, reacting to Mbu’s statement said it smacked of lawlessness and barbarism.

The party asked the police authorities to call him to order “before he starts another around of his trade-mark nihilism in his new posting.”

“The temperament, comportment, utterances and actions of Mbu, a very senior police officer, are capable of inciting mass killings, violence and anarchy,” the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said in a statement.

‘’Since his posting to the Zone 2 Command, this contumacious policeman has exhibited an egregious act of lawlessness by barging through the Lekki Toll Plaza without paying toll and then ordering the arrest of policemen and workers at the Plaza. Is it not an irony that a man who is trained to enforce the law is the same who is breaking the law?

‘’But that action, as bad as it was, pales into insignificance when compared to his most recent statement in which he was basically inciting the police against the citizenry and encouraging the killing of civilians. It is sheer irresponsibility for a senior policeman to say that for every policeman who is killed during the election, he will kill 20 civilians.

‘’Lest we are misunderstood, our party will never condone the killing of police personnel or of any law enforcement agent for whatever reason, just as we will not condone the killing of any innocent Nigerian. If a senior police officer does not know how to convey to his officers and men that they should protect themselves while also avoiding extra-judicial killing of any citizen, then the funds spent in training him have been wasted.”

The APC said such language as ‘fire-for-fire’, “If one of my men is killed, I shall kill twenty of them” or “you have the power to stop the Governor” is inappropriate, inciting and barbaric, especially under a democratic dispensation, and is most unbecoming of a senior law enforcement agent. It therefore said Mbu should be held solely responsible for any violence or killing of innocent citizens before, during and after the elections in the area under his command.

APC warned Mbu to mind his utterances and actions, shake off all the vestiges of lawlessness and barbarism for which he has become infamous and comport himself like a senior police officer that he is if he wants to succeed in his new assignment, saying ‘’if he continues in his old, unedifying ways, he will face a public opprobrium as he has never done before’’.

Mbu’s posting to the south west at this time is not by accident, but a planned arrangement by those who posted him there who know he is very good at discharging dirty duties and his antecedent is apt for their desperation to capture Lagos and other SW states at all costs.
However, I am sure at the end of it all, he would know that this is not Rivers state, but a zone in Nigeria occupied by highly educated, and politically vibrant people who cannot be caged or harass by any tyrant no matter how powerful.

Mattew

If Mbu catch u. Lol

Omooba Adekunle Orafidiya

Mbu is the kind of man who can rein in the violent tendencies of APC. I totally support him.

Alamu Ogboriefon

Mbu should be redeployed to the Bokoharam captured area since he and his officers are good in killing 20 people in retaliation for losing an officer. He should go to Sambisa forest to display his “Killing Skills”…

Izedomi Ohirein

I hope hooligans like Mbu in our police & security services goes with corrupt, wasteful & incompetent Jonathan after the elections.
Nigeria deserves a professional police & security services to serve Nigeria in our overall common interest & not at the whim of some vagabonds in power for selfish interest.

jat77

APC always looking for sympathy! Each day comes with its own drama from this APC and their supporters. As the day goes by,we are seeing how desperate they are and they don’t care who’s toes they step on as long as they get there. Shame on you APC. They better start getting used to seeing Mbu around foolish people.